Electrical parking meter



P 3 H. s. JOHNS 2,114,534

ELECTRI CAL PARKING METER Filed Dec. 6, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 I III" April 19, 1938. H, JOH'N 2,114,534

ELECTRI CAL PARKING METER Filed Dec. 6, 1935 s Shee ts-Sheet a fiZ- 1 -13. l N 9 I P v 7 w a Patented Apr. 19, 1938 PATENT OFFICE 2,114,534 ELECTRICAL PARKING METER Herman S. Johns, Oklahoma City, Okla., assignor to Dual Parking Meter Company, Oklahoma City, Okla., a corporation of Delaware Application December 6, 1935, Serial No. 53,204

9 Claims. (01. 194-6) My invention relates to meters, and more particularly to coin operated electrically controlled meters for collecting for vehicle parking, and the like.

.1 The prime object of the present invention is-the provision of a device of this class which is simple in construction, may be cheaply manufactured, keeps the coin visible from opposite sides-of the device throughout the parking time, utilizes the in coin for the purpose of indicating the elapsed and uneiapsed time, and which utilizes the coin for making the electrical contact necessary for the operation of the device.

Other objects of the invention are to provide ad'evice of the class described which is new, novel,

practical and of utility; which has fewermovin parts than other devices heretofore designed for such purpose; which utilizes the coin as a means for indicating whether the parking space being used has been paid for; which may be easily and quickly adjusted to accommodate various periods of parking time; which displays the last coin inserted so as to prevent the improper use of a slug; which utilizes the coin to make an electrical connection and contact for rendering the device operable; which prevents the coin from being injured by the electrical contact; which permits the coin to be seen from both sides of the device at various points upon a stationary scale; which coin-indicating container at 'a predetermined speed; which utilizes the coin to divide the indicated time for parking and to permit the easy and quick determination of what part of the time has elapsed and what part is unelapsed; which is durable; and, which will be efficient in accomplishing all the purposes for which the device is intended.

With these and other objects in view as will more fully appear hereinbelow, my invention consists in the construction, 'novel features, and combination of parts hereinafter more fully described, pointed out in the claims hereto appended,-and illustrated in the accompanying three-sheet drawings, of which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view, partially in section, showing the housing of the device;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the base member adapted to receive the housing and the coin container;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the coin receptacle;

Figure 4 is an eievatlonal view of a housing having graduations in minutes and showing a coin therein;

Figure 5 is an elevational view of a housing provides means for conveying a coin through a showing graduations in fractions of time instead of in minutes;

Figure 6 is an elevational sectional view of the housing installed upon the upper portion of the base member, shown in Fig. 2;

, Figure '7 is a transverse sectional view' taken substantially along the line 1-1 of Fig. 6;

Figure 8 is a bottom view of the head showing in detail the operating mechanism, looking upwardly;

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view showing the electric system; I

Figure 10 is an elevational view of a spiral shaft which may be used in place of the one shown in Fig.

Figure 11 is a perspective view of a removable contact rod, which may be substituted for the rod shown in Fig. .6;

Figures 12, 13, 14,- and 15 are side elevational views of different toothed discs adapted for use in driving the spiral shafts at various speeds;

Figure 16 is a perspective view showing the relation of an installed device with a street curb;

Figure 17 is a front or back elevational view of the housing showing a coin in its passage therethrough;

Figure 18 is a fragmentary front or back elevational view of a different embodiment of the housing the view of which is the same from the front and back, showing a coin in its passage therethrough presented toview through an arcuate window;

Figure 19 is a fragmentary frontor back elevational view of a diiferent embodiment of housing with the coin passage disposed on a horizontal plane, the view of which is the same from the front and back, and discloses a coin in its passage therethrough and,

Figure 20 is a fragmentary perspective view of an insulating rod showing arcuate notches.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in all the figures.

It is understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size, shape, weight and other details of construction, within the scope of my invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or broad principle of my invention and without sacrificing any of the advantagesthereof; and it is also understood that the drawings are to be interpreted as beingillustrative and not restrictive.

The inventive idea involved is capable of receiving a variety of mechanical expressions one of which, for the purpose of illustrating the invention, is shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:-

The reference numeral I indicates as a whole a head or housing which is adapted to receive a coin 2 through either one of a pair of coin slots 3. The housing is provided with a pair of alined vertical windows 4 of glass or other transparent material. The head I at its lower end is provided witha hollow depending sleeve portion 5 which fits over a hollow post 6 and houses a base member 1 which is adapted to lock in place the head I upon post 6 by a suitable locking means 8 (Fig. 7) which is preferably, weatherproofed by apivotally mounted lid 9. The base member 1 has a flange I0 around its upper portion and is provided with a stud I I for fitting complementally a suitably shaped recess I2 in the head I to prevent the head and base from turning separately circumferentially. The base is also provided with a threadedperforation I3 for receiving a similarly threaded screw I 4 (Fig. 1) the head of which is tapered to a size smaller than the body, and is adapted to be screwed, outwardly so that a portion of the head enters a hole in post 6 but does not protrude from the other side of the wall of the post. In this manner the base 1 and post 6 are locked securely together. An insulated electric wire enters said base at the bottom and leaves the same at the top, connecting with a terminal l5 in the top of said flange III for contacting another terminal 85 (Fig. 6) thereover. A cylindrical coin receptacle l1 (Fig. 3) is to be inserted in the top of the base member 1. The receptacle has an upper flange I8 which has a recess 58 in its edge for slidably fitting over the upstanding pin 59 on the upper portion of the shoulder I0 of member 1 shown in Fig. 2, for preventing independent rotation of the receptacle. As may best be seen in Fig. 2 the upper end of the base member shoulder or flange III is equipped with upstanding pin 59, having an annular groove 60, near its upper end. The lock element 8 is equipped with a tongue 6| at its lower end. The

tongue and lock element are positively fastened together by nut 62 screwed on the lower end of the element. The tongue may be turned by a key, not shown, into and out of the groove 60, thereby locking the head I in place upon the base I.

The windows 4 in the head I are spaced apart sufliciently to barely permit the passage therebetween of the coin 2 in the slot 3 downwardly.

The member 1 is provided with a bore I6 for re- 'ceiving the coin receptacle I1. The coin receptacle is provided, at its upper end with a slot which has a flared upstanding lip I9 surrounding it for receiving the coin after it passes downwardly below the windows 4. The coin slot in the receptacle is so designed that a coin may pass downwardly into the receptacle but cannot be removed from the receptacle through the slot. The receptacle has an opening 20 for removing coinstherefrom and this opening is adapted to be covered by a suitable gummed seal 2|. 7

Surrounding the upper portion of the base 1, the lower surface of the flange I0 is annularly tapered as at 22 to form a water-tight seal with the upper end of the post 6, which is similarly tapered.

The lower end of the head I is closed by a bottom 23 which is bored to receive abearing 24 adapted to be held in place by screws 25, screwed into the head. The bearing acts as a journal for the lower smooth portion 26 of the shaft 21, the upper end of which is journaled in the body of the head I at a point indicated at 26. Intermediate the ends of the shaft its body is formed of spiral threads 29 which are preferably formed by twisting a rod which is square in cross-section. The space between the two windows 4 is open to the portion 29 'of'the shaft 21 so that a coin between the windows may be engaged by the shaft. The shaft 21 is adapted to be rotated by a toothed disc, or ratchet 55, fastened securely to its lower end by a screw 56. The means for driving the disc 55 will be more fully described below.

Opposite the location of the spiral shaft 21, the head I is bored upwardly as shown at 3fl-A to receive a removable rod 30, made of non-conductive material; the rod is notched arcuately at its lower end plurally, as indicated at 3| shown in Figs. 8 and 20 so that a screw head 32, -in connection with an insulating washer 31 (Fig. 6), may engage the shoulders of any of the desired notches 3I to not only hold the rod against longitudinal movement but also to hold it against rotation. 1

The rod 30 has four grooves numbered 33, 34, 35, and 36 which are equally spaced radially and which extend the full length of the rod, each groove communicating with one of the notches 3i. Each groove is lined with a metal strip, as shown at 33-A, 34-A, and 36A, each strip being of a different length. The metal strip in .one of the grooves extends its entire length, and

in the others extends upwardly different distances from the bottom of the rod. The lower ends of all the strips are bent over the end of the rod, for electrical contact with the wire 53. All are perforated for receiving a screw. By loosening the screw 32 the rod 30 may be rotated into positions bringing various ones of the metal strips into communication with the coin passage 3.

These grooves are provided for the purpose of permitting the coin 2- to gravitate downwardly along the rod until the top of the metal strip is 4 reached. When the top of one of the strips is reached by the coin, the coin is forced laterally into engagement with the spiral portion of the shaft 21. In other words; if the rod 30 is rotated and positioned in such a manner as to bring the groove 34 next adjacent the coin passage between the windows, the coin will drop freely along the groove as far as the upper end.of the metal strip 34A,- at which point it will contact such metal strip, and will be forced by gravitation downwardly and laterally into contact with said spiral 29. Consider that the windows are made of a length, and that the shaft 21 is driven at a proper speed to convey the coin the entire length of the windows in one hour; then if the coin drops onefourth of that distance before it contacts the metal strip and is engaged by the spirals on shaft 21, as shown at 34-A in groove 34, only threequarters of the hour will be left in which the coin would be visible through the window. Therefore the device would be set in this manner if the device were to be placed in a forty-five minute parking zone. If it were to be placed in athirty minute zone the rod 30 would be rotated and positioned in such a manner as to bring the groove hour parking limit is allowed groove would be turned toward the coin passage and therefore the coin would be forced into engagement with the spirals 29 on shaft 21 and in contact with the metal strip 35 the instant it struck the upper end of the rod since its metal strip extends its entire length. It would therefore be visible through the window from both sides of the device for the full period of one hour, and for the shorter periods in the other instances. It will be apparent that the two parallel oppositely disposed spaced transparent plates, or windows, will permit visibility through both such plates, but that during the passage of the coin therebetween such visibility willbe obstructed and divided by the coin and the portion above the coin through which visibility is permitted will indicate the elapsed portion of the parking time, and the portion below the coin through which visibility is permitted will indicate the unelapsed portion of the parking time.

In Fig. 10 is'illustrated a spiral shaft ii the spiral portion of which has considerably longer travel than the spirals of the shaft 21 shown in Fig. 6. The upper smooth portion ofthe shaft is numbered 39 and the lower smooth portion is numbered 42. Otherwise the shaft 4! is identi cal with the shaft 21. The shaft 4i may be used in lieu-of the shaft 21 or other shafts may be used having any desired travel of spiral in order to regulate the speed of travel of the coin 2 downwardly through the slot 3 between the two windows 4.

To the bottom 23 of the head is attached a mechanical propelling element, and electrical means for controlling same, both of which will now be described.

The electro-magnet or magnets 68 and 69, have preferably a housing 10 for enclosing them within soft iron metal, such as Armco iron or the like, for the greater eificiency of the electrical equipment. They are fastened to the wall of the housing 10, and the housing is in turn fastened to the bottom 23, by screws II and 12. Said housing has a laterally extending wall 13 with 'a spring en-- gagement l4 fastened to its outer end, which spring engages ratchet 55 and prevents backward movement of the ratchet. An arm 16 of like soft iron material is pivotally engaged at 15 with the wall of the housing 10. Arm 16 has a tongue 11 which extends through a slot of like width in the opposite side of said housing 10, the slot so spaced in the housing as to guide the movement of the tongue end of the arm 16, and to limit its movement toward the magnets, preventing actual contact with the magnets. The outward travel of the tongue end of arm 16 is restricted by a set-screw I8, projecting through the edge of the housing. On said arm 16, intermediate its pivotal end and the tongue 11, is provided a spring arm 19 for engagingthe ratchet wheel 55 and causing its partial rotation when magnets 68 and 69 release the pulsating arm I6 for its return, by the action of a'spring 80, from the position shown in dotted lines to the position shown in solid lines. I

A portionof the wall of the housing 10 is pressed out to form an anchor for one end of the spring, 80. The other end of the spring is anchored in a. similar manner to the arm 16 by a pressed out portion of the arm near its pivotal end. When the arm is in operating position in the housing, 'the spring is slightly compressed. The strength of the spring used isin direct relation'to the magnetism produced by the magnets.

The lower end 26 of the shaft 21 is adapted for securely fastening thereon by a screw, one of a series of toothed discs shown at Figs. 12, 13, 14, and 15, the teeth 63 of Fig. 12 being adapted for use in an hour parking zone; the teeth 44 of Fig. 13, being adapted for use in a forty-five minute parking zone; the teeth 45 of Fig. 14, being adapted for use in a thirty minute parking zone, and the teeth 46 of Fig. 15, being adapted for use in a fifteen minute parking zone, provided in each instance that the impulses on the switch A are on the basis of one impulse per minute. Each of said discs is provided with a central perforation M, and have a tongue portion 88 for fitting in a notch 49 (Fig. 10) in the lower end of the smooth portion 26 of the shaft. The application and operation of said discs will be more fully hereinafter described.

A battery or other electrical current power supply shown in Fig. 9 has one of its terminals grounded 51 and the other continues to switch A, which is actuated by a clock mechanism at some central location, from which a feeder line 8i continues to the device or devices entering magnets 38 and 69. The lead-off line 83from magnets 68 and 69 connects with'metal stripson rod 30 by means of a copper wire 53 held in contact by screw head. By the aid of a coin the' circuit on the metal strips in the rods is bridged to the spiral conveyor, which is also grounded. The coin is shown as switch 38, and completes the circuit through magnets 68 and 6%, provided switch A is closed.

In assembling the device the base member i will be inserted within the post 6; the coinreceptacle I! placed inside the base member, and the screw it screwed out tight against the edge of the hole (not shown) in post 6, thereby locking these two'members in place. The spiralconveyor Z'l, bearing 24, ratchet wheel 55 and screw 56 are inserted in the head as a unit, which unit is held in place by screws 25, (Fig. 8). The rod 30 is then inserted in the head and the magnets are connected electrically with the metal strips in rod 30 by means of wire 53, held in place by screw 32. The housing 10 containing the magnetsfspring 80, spring arms 14 and 19, and the pulsating arm i6, is. fastened to the lower part of the head I by means of screws ll and 72 (Fig. 8) through flanges integral with the housing. The head and the mechanism are now one unit which is then placed over and around the post 6, the base member 1, and the coin receptacle H. The bottom 23 of the head i is then securely fastened to the base member 1 and locked in place by the tongue 61,

(Fig. 8), which fits into the groove 60 (Fig. 2)

when turned into proper position by a key inserted at 8 (Fig. 7). Electrical contact between the magnets in the head and the wire in the base member is automatically made by means of terminal 15 being contacted and slightly depressed .by terminal 85 when the head is locked in position.

. In operation the coin is inserted by customer, passes downward, contacts the top of the metal strip in the groove on the rod 30, and then contacts the spiral conveyor, completing electrical contact between rod and conveyor, closing the switch as represented at 38 in Fig. 9, and rendering the device operable by electrical impulses 'from the central control mechanism. Electrical impulses, the frequency of which is governed by the central control mechanism, then pass through the device to the magnets, drawing the tongue end of the arm toward the magnets, and at the same time further compressing the spring 80.

therebetween.

when the impulse has ended, the spring then forces the tongue end of the arm 16 outward until it contacts the set-screw 18. During its passage outward, the outer end of the spring arm 19 contacts the ratchet, and partially rotates both the ratchet and spiral conveyor 21. This movement of the conveyor allows a slight movement of the coin downward through the passage. Each electrical impulse produces a like action in the device and the coin eventuany passes downward out of sight through the slot in the upper end of the coin receptacle, and into the receptacle. Periodically a collector inserts key at 8, turns key moving tongue 6| out of groove 60, removes the head and working mechanism as a unit, removes coin receptacle, breaks seal, removes all coins, replaces dated seal, replaces the receptacle and the head and re-locks the device by turning key so that tongue 6| again contacts groove 60. It may be well to state, however, that the distance between the adjacent faces of the spiral shaft 21 and the contacting surface of the metal strip on the rod is barely sufficient to permit the passage of a coin of certain size, and that a smaller coin will drop through the head and into the coin receptacle without causing electrical contact-between the spiral shaft and the rod.

When the coin passage is disposed vertically or at an angle of sufficient pitch to cause the coin to gravitate therein, only a slight portion of the edge of the coin needbe engaged by the conveyor, and the conveyor and metal contacting strips will act as an agent to retard the downward movement of the coin. However, if the coin is to be moved horizontally or arcuately by the conveyor, a greater portion of its edge must be engaged by the conveyor in order to prevent the coin from binding in the passage.

At Fig. 11 is shown an alternate removable contact rod 50, made of non-conductive. material, and adapted to be used in said device in lieu of the rod 30. This rod 50 is intended to be used when it is desired to depend entirely on the regulation of the frequency of electrical impulses through the magnets to govern the passage of the coin through the entire length of the coin passage 3 within a desired length of time. Said removable contact rod 50 has a groove 5| provided with a metallic contacting strip 52 extending its full length which contacts at its lower end an insulated electric wire 53, the two being held toperiods of time ranging from five to sixty minutes.

In each of these figures as well as in Figs. 17, 18, and 19 the front andback windows are opposite and give easy and clear visibility, through said windows, except where such visibility therethrough is obstructed by the coin while passing It might be found desirable to drive the spiral shaft at various speeds for various parking zones, in which case the coin would be engaged by the spiral shaft at the upper end of the window, and would travel the entire length of the window, even though the parking time in that particular zone were only fifteen minutes, or less. For such a condition the graduations shown in Fig. 5 have been designed. In this embodiment the graduations indicate a percentage of the permitted time instead of representing periods of time.

In Fig. 18 is illustrated a housing 54 having an arcuate window and in Fig. 19 is illustrated a housing 66 having a horizontally disposed window Bl. The enclosed mechanisms for propelling the coin across the windows of the last two embodiments will of course be different from that disclosed in Figs. 6, 7, and 8.

Obviously, the invention is susceptible of embodiment in forms other than that which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described herein, and applicable for uses and purposes other than as detailed, and I therefore consider as my own all such modifications and adaptations and other uses of the form'of the device herein described as fairly fall within the scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a device of the class described, a coin receiving passage, an electrically grounded conveyor extending along and forming'one edge of the passage, a rod disposed along and forming the opposite edge of said passage, said rod and said conveyor adapted to engage a coin in the passage and permit its movement along the passage as the conveyor rotates, means for rotating said conveyor, and a source of electrical energy,

the contact of said coin with the rod and conveyor adapted to close a circuit to said source of electrical energy to energize said power means.

2. In a device of the class described, a, coin receiving passage having two oppositely disposed visible transparent parallel side walls, an electrically grounded spiral conveyor extending along and forming one edge of the passage, a grooved rod forming the opposite edge of said passage, said rod and said conveyor adapted to engage a coin in the passage and to control its movement along the passage, said coin adapted to visible transparent parallel side walls, an electrically grounded spiral conveyor extending along the passage, an insulated rod having metallic strips of different lengths disposed in longitudinal slots therein and forming electrical contacts;

said conveyor and any selected one of said strips adapted to engage a coin in said passage and regulate its downward travelin said passage, said coin adapted to close a circuit between a selected one of said stripsand said conveyor, said circuit including a source of electrical energy, and power means rendered'operable by the closing of said circuit for rotating said conveyor at a desired speed, thereby lowering said coin in said passage at a desired speed, the difl'erence in length of said metallic strips adaptedto selectively regulate the period during which said circuit is closed by said coin, as well as to selectively determine the distance said coin must travel in said passage under positive control of said conveyor.

4. A parking meter comprising a coin receiving passage, an electrically grounded spiral conveyor extending along the passage, a rod forming an electrical contact member disposed along said passage opposite said, conveyor, electrical contact between said rod and said conveyor adapted to be completed by a coin in the passage contacting each of them, said rod and said. conveyor adapted to engage said coin and permit its movement along said passage, and electrical means rendered operable by said electrical contact for rotating the conveyor.

I 5. In a device of the class described, a housing including a hollow head and a hollow base; a vertically disposed coin receiving passage in the headhaving a pair of spaced transparent parallel oppositely disposed walls; an electrically grounded spiral conveyor journaled in the head extending along and in communication with the passage; a radially adjustable insulated rod parallel to the conveyor, extending along and in communication with the opposite side of the passage, and having a plurality of radially spaced longitudinally extending grooves therein; a like plurality of metal strips secured respectively along the bottoms of said grooves, each extending upward along the grooves a different distance, whereby a coin in said-passage may pass for a distance along a selected groove without contacting the conveyor, and will be forced laterally into contact with the conveyor when the coin reaches the top of the metal strip in that groove; said conveyor, said rod, and said metal strip coacting to regulate the descent of said coin in the passage; and means electrically operated for driving said spiral conveyor at a desired speed, thus allowing said coin to pass downward through said passage at a desired speed.

6. In a device of the class described, a pair of spaced oppositely disposed parallel transparent plates having a coin receiving passage therebetween, an electrically grounded spiral conveyor extending along one edge of the passage, a coaoting rodextending along the opposite edge, both adapted to engage a coin therebetween and to control its movement along the passage, means for rotating the conveyor at a predetermined speed, thus allowing the movement of said coin through said passage at a desired speed, a source of electrical energy, an electrical circuit including said source of electrical energy, the conveyor, the rod, and said conveyor rotating means,.said coin, by contact with the conveyor and rod, adapted to close the circuit to said source of electrical energy, thus energizing said rotating means, and means carried by said rod for selectively determining the distance said coin may sage opposite said conveyor, said rod having a longitudinal groove extending from one end to the other, a metal contact strip in said groove, a tootheddisc for rotating said conveyor, said conveyor and said rod adapted to contact and control the movement of said coin through said passage as the conveyor'rotates, a power unit, operative'connections between said power unit and said toothed disc for rotating said disc, anda source of electrical energy, said coin adapted to close a circuit including said source of electrical energy, the conveyor, the rod, and the power unit,- thus energizing said power unit.

r 8. A meter comprising: an elongated head he ing a through slot in its central portion; a pair of spaced parallel transparent plates disposed at opposite sides oi. said slot; an electricallygroundw ed spiral conveyor journaled in the head and extending along one edge of said plates; a grooved rod housed in the head and extending along the opposite edge of said plates, the slot being disposed to communicate withthe space between said plates; the plates, conveyor, and rod together forming a coin passage of a size to allow the passage only of coins of certain maximum size; a pair of coin slots in said head communicating with said coin passage; a metal contact strip extending from one end ofgsaid rod along the bottom of its slot to a point short of its opposite end; said conveyor and said metal strip together adapted to engage a coin passing downward in said passage and to temporarily arrest its downward travel; said coin, in contacting said conveyor and metal strip, adapted to close an electric circuit including a source of electrical energy; a power unit housed in the head and disposed in said circuit; operative connections between said power unit and said conveyor for step rotating the conveyor as impulses are received by the power unit; said conveyor and said metal strip, after the electric circuit has been closed, adapted to regulate the speed at which said coin passes through said passage.

9. A device of the class described comprising: a transparent coin receiving passage; an electrically grounded spiral conveyor adjacent one edge of the passage; an electrical contact rod adjacent the opposite edge of said passage; said conveyor and said rod adapted ,to act as a pair of electrical contacts to be closed by a coin oi certain denomination deposited in the passage; a power unit actuated by the closing of said contacts; and means operated by said power unit to step rotate said conveyor; said conveyor adapted to regulate the speed of travel of said coin through said passage; the length of said rod adapted to govern the distance in said passage through which the coin must travel under the regulation of said conveyor.

HERMAN S. JOHNS. 

